Tupou Vaa'i: 'Eben is the hardest lock I’ve played against'

Tupou Vaa’i is the master of deception in Super Rugby Pacific.

The Chiefs and All Blacks lock scored a 32nd-minute try in an opening round 19-15 win against the Blues at Eden Park in Auckland that actually wasn’t a try.

A review concluded that Vaa’i left the ground to avoid a tackle, rather than diving forward to score, so the try should not have been awarded.

“I respect the decision. It’s their competition,” Vaa’i responded to RugbyPass when asked about the retrospective ruling.*

“In my celebration, I pointed to my head because I thought it was a diving motion; that’s in the rules. Ben O’Keefe is a quality referee. We trust the refs’ calls.”

Had the try been disallowed during the game, the Chiefs might have lost. In reality, the Blues had several chances to bury the plucky visitors with six line breaks to three, a telling advantage.

With ten minutes left, the Blues led 15-12 while mounting pressure near the Chiefs’ 22.

A clever turnover from a Blues lineout by Vaa’i, who drew players into congestion, earned the Chiefs a relieving penalty. Another penalty followed, finally giving the Chiefs favourable field position.

In the 75th minute, Vaa’i delivered a deft pass that created a hole for Samipeni Finau to blast through. Cortez Ratima supported and surged ahead for the match-winning try. The Blues entered the Chiefs’ 22 again with two minutes left, but Vaa’i stole the lineout throw in a ruthless closing of the game.

Vaa’i has won 49 of 75 games for the Chiefs. It’s unlikely the 26-year-old in his seventh season would have had such influence on a match even a couple of years ago. Since 2024, he has made 17 of his 25 starts for the All Blacks.

“Hundred per cent,” Vaa’i agreed. “Experience counts a lot, especially in a tight game.”

“As a young fella, you’re waiting for your turn, thinking about getting your role right. It’s only experience in those situations that teaches you to pick your moments.

“During the week, I do as much prep on the opposition lineout as I can. While the game unfolds, I look for changes. You’re looking for certain cues or pictures.

“Brodie Retallick taught me how to pass as I did to Samipeni.”

Points Flow Chart

Chiefs win +4

Time in lead

21

Mins in lead

9

26%

% Of Game In Lead

11%

29%

Possession Last 10 min

71%

0

Points Last 10 min

7

Interestingly, all three of the Chiefs’ tries in the opening round began with a lineout win, while their 40 tries on such possession last season were the equal-second most of any team, behind only the Brumbies with 52. Vaa’i has been directly involved in six tries across his last six Super Rugby Pacific games.

In the furnace of international rugby, Vaa’i has taken lessons from South Africa’s Eben Etzebeth (142 Tests, 91 wins) and England’s Maro Itoje (108 Tests, 70 wins).

“Eben is the hardest lock I’ve played against. He’s got such a big frame for a start, not to mention his experience, running game and aerial skills.

“Maro is similar. He’s rare for an international lock in that he almost always plays 80 minutes. That’s a tough thing to do.

“Since I tore my meniscus against Australia at Eden Park in August last year, I can’t just rock up to training without a warm-up anymore. I spend a solid 30 minutes loosening all my muscles. Mentally, it took a toll figuring that out.”

Vaa’i has credited the birth of his son, Kylo, with helping him avoid overthinking or stressing about smaller things.

Another mental hurdle now is the proliferation of kicking. While Vaa’i thrives in aerial contests and believes aerial competition beyond restarts and lineouts can be interesting, constant aerial ping pong is challenging for forwards.

“It’s not really a game you want to be part of, running backwards and forwards watching kicks all day, ” Vaa’i said.

“We are coached to win territory. Kicking is just one way you can do that.”

In the Highlanders’ opening round 25-23 win over the Crusaders in Dunedin, the ball was kicked more than 80 times. That figure surprised Vaa’i, who otherwise loved “a classic southern derby.”

This Saturday, the Chiefs travel to Dundien to joust with the Highlanders. On the last occasion those sides met, Vaa’i scored a hat-trick, including a 40-metre intercept, in a 41-24 Chiefs win. Vaa’i wasn’t even born the last time a Chiefs lock had previously scored a hat-trick. That was 79-Test All Black Ian Jones in a 39-17 win against the Waratahs in 1996.

Additionally, Vaa’i contributed 13 tackles and four lineout catches in a lineout that won all 14 of its throws and snatched four from the Highlanders.

“I don’t think I’ll get a hat-trick on Saturday,” Vaa’i laughed. “I was in the right place at the right time.”

The Chiefs are on a seven-game winning streak against the Highlanders in Super Rugby Pacific. Another win would break the record for most consecutive wins in the fixture, which stands at 25-17 in the Chiefs’ favour.

The Highlanders are seeking back-to-back wins to start a season for the first time since 2021, but have only won three of their last 30 games against New Zealand teams.

*The relevant law provision is World Rugby Clarification 3-2022: “In principle, in a try scoring situation, if the action is deemed to be a dive forward for a try, then it should be permitted. If a player is deemed to have left the ground to avoid a tackle; or to jump, or hurdle a potential tackler, then this is dangerous play and should be sanctioned accordingly.”